One of the things I often get asked when people hear that we are moving away from Germany is “What about Soeren? How did he react to the news?”

Even my blog family, friends and readers have sent me emails or left comments asking me about this. When you have kids it’s definitely not an easy topic to tackle. So, how did we tackle it?

We included Soeren into our discussions from Day 1. When Tom got the offer we discussed the issue with Soeren and told him what the situation was. At first Soeren was excited – new adventure, new home, new room etc. As it developed we made sure to keep Soeren a part of the discussions and also the decisions.

Yes, the decision too. We told him that if he felt he did not like the idea of moving away from friends or school we would reconsider the move. Some might think that this is a huge decision weighing on the shoulders of a 6 year old, but we packaged it in a way that a 6 year old could digest it.

We gave him the positive and negative points of both sides. We did not make Qatar sound nicer than Weimar. At the end there actually were more points on our list that spoke for Weimar! Points like leaving good friends and great school behind, a solid social network. However, Soeren tackled the decision the way he always does – with gusto.

“Mum – dad – I will make more friends in Doha then I will have double the amount of friends!” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. Then he said “Sure I think I will cry when I have to say goodbye to my friends but they will be sadder as I am leaving!”

Then there was my favorite comment “Hey how bad can it be – the beach, ocean, sun and sand – I mean – how bad can that be?” I do not want him to look through rainbow glasses so I try to balance it by telling him that although sun, sand and sea are great but that also means no snow and rushing out with the sledge and a bunch of friends to the nearest hill and the only four seasons there is in the form of a hotel. He looks at me with his huge eyes and says “We’re still gonna be OK – we have each other!”

With that I knew that we could move to the moon, all that was really important to him is that we are together. The quintessential point however, was that Soeren was a part of our discussions from the beginning. This way he had time to think about all aspects of the move in his own way – without us interfering. The decision was not announced to him, instead it was shared with him. It gave him time to deal with it day for day – to talk about it with his friends, with his teacher, with us and then he was able to go away and think about it and sort out the good and the bad.

Singularly, all three of us have our fears and thoughts about the move, but together we know “we’re gonna be OK”.

Fish and chips – a classic kids’ favorite. However, what I do not like is the frozen stuff coated in something that is supposed to be breadcrumbs. There certainly is a way to optimize this favorite to a healthier meal. I used fresh Pollack fillets and coated them with cornflakes instead of white breadcrumbs. Instead of fries I used root vegetables and roasted them in the oven gently with garlic and herbs.

To make the roasted vegetable chips, throw all the vegetables in a large bowl, drizzle a good shot of olive oil and mix in the garlic, salt and pepper and herbs. Using your hands massage the flavors into the vegetables. Spread out the vegetables on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until tender but still crisp.

In the meantime, sieve the flour into a deep plate, pour the beaten eggs into a separate plate and add the cornflakes into a another plate.

Dab the fish with kitchen paper towels, salt and pepper then coat the fish first in flour, then soak in the egg and finally coat with the cornflakes.

Heat enough canola oil in a pan to pan-fry the fish fingers. The fish does not need to swim in the oil, just enough so that the fish can be shallow fried. Fry the fish on each side for approx. 5 minutes or until the coating is lightly golden.

Make sure the oil to pan fry the fish is really hot. The best way to check if the oil is at the right temperature is to put the back end of a wooden spoon into the oil and if bubbles form around it the oil is just right.

If the oil is not hot enough and you start to fry the fish it will soak up the oil and the result will be greasy and mushy instead of tender and crispy fish fingers.

Verdict

This is far better than the frozen pre-coated stuff one can buy in the stores. The cornflakes add a lovely crunch and give the coating a delicious golden color. The fresh fish is juicy and tender, with the garlic roasted root vegetables this is a delicacy that even grown ups will gladly indulge in.

“Choosing a winner was not easy, there were varying elements I used such as difficulty of task, familiarity with ingredient or ingredients and technique, going out on a limb and trying something different. I did not look for photography or food styling, I looked for areas where people seemed to be genuinely interested and where they learnt something. I found several entries that fit the bill but the prize goes to Siri of Siri's Corner with her Cornmeal Cou Cou. Cornmeal dishes play a very important part in Caribbean cuisine and attempting to make Cou Cou is something that most Caribbean people themselves shy away from, from failure of not being able to get the consistency right but just looking at Siri's picture, it is clear that she got it”

Siri, many congratulations and your copy of Cynthia’s cookbook is already on it’s way to you. Hope you enjoy it!

34 comments:

You took a great approach with Soeren...well done for including him in the discussions from day one. He also shows maturity for someone so young. As for the "fish and chips"...these are way better than any store bought version...yum!

Thanks Meeta and Cynthia, for those nice words about my entry. To be really honest, I was myself quite surprised when I tasted the Cou Cou. I never cooked with cornmeal before and was so skeptical about its taste. But, the fool-proof recipe instructions from Cynthia did it all. :))

Kids have the magical way to adjust. We moved when my DD1 was 5 (not another country) but uprooted her from her base, away from her friends & school. Like you, we had been involving her thru' our discussions & move.. & inspite of the overwhelming sadness & tears during the last few days.. she adjusted even before us!

Love the idea of coating with cornflakes. will do it with chicken strips.

Wow, your son is lucky to have such wonderful parents, who include him in such important decisions. Wonderful! Your version of fish and chips sounds absolutely fabulous!! Mmm, I love roasted root veggies. Delicious!

Happy and safe move dear Meeta. It is always good to include children in discussions. I really appreciate the small guys will....Hope he have good time in doha tooo with so many new friends. Recipe looks yum....

Looks great. (And sorry, I went and used the MM form by habit, but sent it off by email as well. My bad!)We had similar conversations with our children about our recent move. Course we moved 25 minutes away from their former home, but it was still an adjustment. Nice that you were able to include Soeren in so much.

Woa .. thats gonna be a major lifestyle change !!! From Germany to Doha. A very mature and responsible answer from Soeren .. must make you very proud :)The fish n chips looks scrumptious ! Gotta try these cornflake version, bet hubby will love 'em

Ah, moving & kids. I moved so much when I was growing up you'd think I wouldn't consider it an issue, but I'll never forget sitting in a new classroom with kids I didn't know. Soeren is lucky to have you as a parent -- rose colored glasses never quite work. But good luck on your move -- and that is quite the move. The fish and veg chips sounds delicious. I love the idea of the crunchiness the cornflakes gives. Yum!

Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hello, I am Meeta a freelance food photographer, stylist and writer living in the cuturally rich city of Weimar, Germany with my husband and our son, where I enjoy preparing multi-cultural home cooked meals with fresh organic ingredients. What's for lunch, Honey? is my award winning food blog where I combine my love for food with my love for photography and styling...